Thursday, 8 November 2012

Last-Year Buy: UNIQLO x Orla Kiely blouse and Monki Gurli top

After my recent couple of buys, I was meant to be holding back on spending on clothes. Instead, I accompanied a friend shopping, did the classic "oh, I'll just try some stuff on to keep you company in the changing room" and ended up walking away with more things than her. Oops.

I love Orla Kiely but had avoided her UNIQLO x Orla Kiely collection mainly because most of the tops just looked too Orla. This is probably the least recognisable in the range, and I fell for it because of the autumnal colours and also partly because it reminded me of my long-lost, genuinely 1960s and sadly missed top from Vintage Hart.

More influence of The Gentlewoman effect: this Gurli top from Monki. It's suede. I feel vaguely pulled together when I wear it. It makes people stroke me in a slightly inappropriate way. Even more out of character for me was another purchase from Monki: a pair of jeans. The jeans and the top have had two outings so far: a visit to see the magnificent Walkmen at the Forum and a whistle-stop trip up to Edinburgh to catch up with some old university friends. My wallet is now being firmly locked away until Christmas.

Visualize yourself as you looked on a beautiful autumn day last year. There's not much of the picture that survives. Not the hemline, waistline or the shoulderline ... If you're not a Last-Year Girl. You'll like the feel of a longer, fuller skirt flowing around you as you move ... You'll enjoy having hips again - without apologies; and the satisfaction of a small, rounded, tapering waist and of having it show in the snug bodice tops. You can have it all.